the new jersey girl

it's strange to think how extremely different my life has become in just one month.

i left home on august 2nd with a car packed to the brim full of ....my life.

now everything has changed.

i'm in a new place
with new people
doing new things

and it's been absolutely wonderful.

an old train station full of history from the mass immigration of the 18 and 1900s

the view from new jersey looking toward ny

a beautiful memorial built for the new jersey-natives killed on 9/11

rough "downtown" areas - this doesn't quite capture it

this doesn't do justice to the view from long beach island

i really don't know what i was expecting....
i've never seen jersey shore, but i've heard people talk about it
i think i pictured new jersey as a mix of that and cake boss :)

these are things i didn't realize about new jersey:

• it's called the garden state for a reason.... wow!! it's gorgeous!
• there are woods, farms, rivers, cities, and beautiful beaches -- basically, everything you could want! how in the world do they have so many trees?
• i think this is where the song "rain, rain, go away" was written
• i love rain, but it brings with it even more humidity and sometimes i truly believe the humidity is trying to suffocate me
• i've never driven on worse roads
• despite the constant and ever-present road work, new jersey roads are the worst i've seen.... maybe because i'm not used to having so many potholes on a main highway...
• new jersey drivers are mean
• if you happen to be driving near one of the many car accidents that happen daily, but you're in the wrong lane, sit tight. nobody's gonna let you in. just wait. yes, they see you. and it doesn't matter.
• new jersey drivers are probably mean because of the non-new jerseyans
• there is not a single gps app that can accurately navigate through the entire state. this leads to foreign drivers (aka me) swerving, changing lanes, and going too slow as they try to figure out exactly which fork they are supposed to keep left, then keep right at.....
• new jersey is the definition of diversity
• i have never lived in a place of such variety, and i've lived a lot of places! not including the college students, new jersey is home to communities of so many different cultures and religions. everyone is just who they are, co-existing in this small place that is their home state.

it's been an adjustment, but i'm happy to make it.
there's no where else i'd rather be.......

unless it was with my darling niece claira. yeah, i'd rather be there.
but this will do.

here's to trying new things!!!!!